The Flames of Temptation
by Avataria
Summary: Very few had the audacity to challenge him. One person did. Now, he was determined to seek his revenge. But unbeknownst to him, love and seduction was one game with far reaching consequences . . . SetoxTéaAnzurevised


**Disclaimer – **This goes for all the chapters, I do not own Yu-gi-oh or its amazing characters, except for several OCs who will appear in this story.

This is my first rated fic and is actually the combination of two of my original stories (Trapped and an unnamed story). Part of the storyline I was originally going to use was needed for another Seto/Téa story of mine, hence the change. There are no lemons, so sorry to disappoint some of you (I don't write lemons). This story will be strictly plot orientated and there will probably be a few instances when they are together – bordering on a lime.

This takes place after the Pharaoh's memory, but is not affiliated with what occurs in the manga – Yu-gi-oh R.

Now even though I've used the Japanese setting for this story, I haven't used the complete list of Japanese names for the characters. Personally I prefer the English names, because I find it easier to portray their personalities, so I apologise if some of you find this impractical. With regards to the ages, Téa, Joey, Yugi, Tristan, Duke and Kaiba are 17 years of age. Mokuba will be 12.

**Anzu/Téa bashers, I am warning you to leave now. I do not tolerate flames of any kind, just because you hate her character. I don't go around bashing your stories, so do the decent thing and stay away from mine. Thank you. **

This story is dedicated to Annettepy, for doing me a tremendous favour by beta-ring the first chapter. I couldn't have successfully completed this without her guidance and suggestions for improvement. I would also like to thank Lonegothic for helping me make sure that this story fit within the Yu-gi-oh storyline.

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Chapter One – Enemies

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Sunlight, warm and wholesome filtered through the trees, reflecting off the green foliage, producing a beautiful spectacle below. Birds chirped harmoniously, their soft melodies drifting in the air. It was a beautiful day, marked by large fluffy white clouds and clear blue sky, perfect for the beginning of their final school year as high school seniors.

"I can't believe we gotta spend one more year wit dat jerk," Joey Wheeler mumbled unhappily, brown eyes recognising a familiar black limo drive pass them. His eyes narrowed accordingly, as they pursued the vehicle, till it faded from view.

'_Here we go.'_ Téa Gardner trudged alongside her blond friend on their way towards the school gates, her eyes rolling back at the mention of the one person who always seemed to constantly preoccupy their conversations. She mentally prepared herself for a heated discussion on a subject that usually got on her nerves. Feeling the need to be objective; which happened to be one of those traits that came naturally, she shifted her head to the side, cerulean eyes twinkling confidently. "Kaiba is not that bad Joey," she told him, trying to be reasonable. Some people would often question her desire to see the best in people, but that was the kind of person she was. She believed there was some good in everyone, even Seto Kaiba.

Joey shot her a sceptical look, "Téa, this is Kaiba ya talkin bout. How can you defend him after all da horrible things he's done to us? I'm tellin ya, da guy is public enemy number one."

Breathing aloud, Téa shook her head readily, "I'm not completely defending him. But don't you think labelling him as our main enemy is a bit of an exaggeration?

She waited patiently for him to answer and was rewarded with a quick reply, "No."

'_Why am I not surprised?' _"Well, what I'm trying to say is that he does have feelings, even if he does seem uncaring." Joey stared at her disbelievingly, urging her to further justify her opinion. "Okay, I admit he can be a cold and obnoxious jerk at times, but look at his relationship with Mokuba. He loves his little brother unconditionally and would do anything to protect him." Struck with another thought, she added with a smile, "That's definitely something you both have in common," certain that he wouldn't be able to deny that claim. His younger sister Serenity lived in another city, but despite the long distance between them, they were extremely close, much like the Kaiba brothers.

"Dat happens in a lot of families, not just mine and Kaiba's," Joey said stubbornly, not liking where this part of their conversation was headed. This comparison she was drawing seemed highly unorthodox, considering their backgrounds differed remarkably. They were completely different people, even if they both possessed an overwhelming sense of brotherly obligation and loyalty to their younger siblings. Theoretically, older siblings' watching over younger ones was a common occurrence in many families, so it could hardly be perceived as a similarity they both shared.

"Well I think he deserves some credit for that," Téa spoke softly, fingers straightening the hem of her white blouse, which had become loose. Tugging the material into place, she continued, "Not to mention the fact that he and Mokuba grew up with Gozaborro and we all saw what kind of person he was. Its no wonder Kaiba is the person he is today." An image of the strict, malevolent man materialised, sending shivers through her spine. That was the day she and her friends uncovered the truth behind the Kaiba brothers' parentage and she felt some degree of sympathy towards them as a result. It also explained a great deal about Kaiba's character - the complicated and private person who never let anyone except Mokuba get close to him. It was sad really; that one man's diabolical influence could destroy one boy's childhood and fracture his outlook in life. Much of his behaviour thereafter she supposed was entirely justified, after the number of years he endured with the hard hearted tycoon.

"But dat's still no excuse for the way he treats us. I mean we're da only ones in dis school who know him. Hell, we're probably the only so called friends he has and yet he still treats us like crap."

"Don't tell me the 'great' Joey Wheeler wants to be friends with Kaiba?" Téa hinted, inclining her head towards him so she could view his reaction.

Joey thought about this for a minute, before he made a face, "Nah, it ain't like tat, all I'm sayin is tat he could at least treat us with some respect, especially after all we've been thru da past couple of years."

He had a point. Those years in question were filled with many adventures and milestones of which they had all experienced together. Through them they forged unbreakable friendships (well maybe not Kaiba) and made unparallel discoveries. That alone would surely mean they had reached the point where Kaiba would accept them as friends. Yet Mokuba was the only one to ever acknowledge them in that manner, the elder Kaiba indifferent, perceiving them only as acquaintances.

"Yeah well, maybe things will change. Besides, it's only one more year. I'm sure you can survive that . . . if you stop 'antagonising' him," Téa stated, blue eyes twinkling humorously.

Her shoes clicked against the pavement, in a steady rhythm, while her low length skirt bounced with each step.

"Me. Antag . . ." Joey paused in mid-sentence; his mind reeling at such a complicated word. "Watever tat word is, I don do tat," he insisted, with his palms raised in front of him as a sworn declaration.

"Sure you don't Joey," Téa giggled slightly. "Every time you see the guy, you can't resist putting your two cents in."

"Hey, dat's only cos he's da one dat says somethin nasty bout me. And from wat I remember, moneybags has said some pretty bad things . . ."

How could she forget? "I know I know, he's called you a dog, a mutt, monkey boy . . . among other things," she replied, suppressing a laugh.

"Okay, ya made ya point . . . and dat's not funny," Joey pouted, folding his arms in protest.

"Come on Joey, I'm just kidding. It's just that you and Kaiba act like children sometimes. Watching you two go-at-it is like watching an episode of Beavis and Butthead."

"Yeah well Kaiba's the butthead."

"Sure about that?" Téa asked playfully.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, watever."

The entrance to Domino High was packed with students, talking and frolicking on the grass, the daily morning ritual before classes started. There were several faces she recognised, prompting her to greet them with a friendly wave and smile. Climbing the steps one by one, they both entered the large grey building; their first priority was finding the rest of their group. Walking through the hallway, Téa swung her head from side to side, till the faces of her friends came into view.

"Oh look there's the others," Téa pointed towards the small group. "Are you coming?"

"Gotta get my things first Téa. Meet ya dere," Joey waved her on, as he stood near the row of metal lockers.

"Ok." Téa strolled across the space to meet the others, leaving Joey to his own devices.

Nearing his locker, Joey grabbed the combination lock, twirling the small dial around till he heard a distinct clicking sound, indicating that the door was open. His fingers combed through its contents, pushing aside several comics and Duel Monster magazines, until he found what he was looking for. Locating his writing utensils, he paused when he noticed several textbooks lying undisturbed near the back of his locker. He realised immediately that he must have forgotten to return them last year. Sighing, he grabbed hold of them, repositioning them in his arms, before grabbing his pens and pencils. While juggling the items in one hand, Joey closed the door shut, fingers fumbling with the combination lock. Satisfied that he had everything, he proceeded to join his friends at the other end of the hallway, but was roughly pushed aside. He stumbled backwards hitting the metal lockers with a loud clang. The load he was carrying was knocked out of his hands, where the items fell to the ground in a huge pile.

Rubbing his back and neck, he looked around, his brown eyes coming into contact with the source of his trouble. "Hey, watch it Kaiba," Joey shouted angrily in the direction of the tall youth.

"You were in my way Wheeler," Kaiba frowned, his head shifting towards the irritating voice.

"You did tat on purpose," Joey accused him, his left hand balled into a tight fist.

"Now why would I want to waste my valuable time making you look ridiculous, when you do that so well by yourself?" Kaiba asked bluntly, sapphire orbs glowing nastily.

"You rich no good prick, pick them up," Joey ordered, an outstretched hand pointed towards the scattered items, expecting the youth to take heed and do as he was told.

Kaiba gazed at the items on the ground for a few seconds, before his eyes travelled back up, looking Joey straight in the eyes. His mouth curved into a malicious smirk, a sure sign that his request would be ignored, "Looks like the janitor forgot to remove all the trash this morning."

Completely frozen with his mind racing all over the place, Joey gulped to clear the tightness of his throat, his stubborn exterior shifting to one of growing frustration and bitterness at the callous insult. "Who do ya think ya are callin me trash Kaiba?" Joey yelled vehemently, his brown eyes flashing dangerously.

Unfazed by the apparent threat that Joey posed, Kaiba decided to clarify his earlier statement, eager to further irritate the boy, "If the shoe fits, wear it Wheeler." He cocked his head to the side examining Joey's attire, noting the faded blue colour of his school blazer and trousers, leaving no doubt in his mind that the clothing was second hand. "And from the looks of things, that's exactly what you are - worthless trash. Much like the rest of your family."

Overcome by a sense of indignity, Joey cringed slightly, feeling the intensity of those words as they ripped through him. The muscles within his jaw twitched involuntarily, teeth biting into his tongue, as the taste of his blood mingled with his saliva. Swallowing to rid himself of the insane mixture, his teeth chewed on his bottom lip, as an uncontrollable wave of hatred washed over him. It was one thing to insult him, but to purposely drag his family into their business was inexcusable. Marching forward with his sleeves rolled back, fists arched at his sides, he leaned towards his rival menacingly, "You've got some nerve Kaiba, cos dere's no way I'm gonna stand here and let you disrespect me or my family."

"I have better things to do than waste my time with trash, especially when that trash is you," Kaiba turned on his heel and was about to walk away, when his arm was grabbed roughly from behind. He turned his head, glaring at the person who dared challenge him. He didn't have to be psychic to know what Wheeler's intentions were. "Let go of me Wheeler," he warned.

Releasing his grip immediately, Joey ground out between clenched teeth, "I wasn't done wit ya yet. If you think I'm gonna take ya crap, think again. I may not be rich, but dat doesn't make me or my family trash. Which is why we're gonna finish tis in a duel." It wasn't the first time the two had been engaged in a heated duel over some offensive remark the billionaire had spoken. Much to his chagrin, Kaiba was the victor of those previous challenges. But this time, it was different. This time it was more than just attaining the respect he deserved as a duellist; this time it was about being respected as a person and defending the honour of his family. Sheer determination flowed energetically through his arteries and veins, providing the energy needed to ensure he would claim victory over his rival. The deck he had previously used in his prior battles had been upgraded; several new cards were added to its original contents, thereby enhancing its strength and power. The result was appraised by Yugi, who considered it to be better than his original. Due to Yugi's expertise, Joey felt extremely confident of its ability to take down any opponent - even Seto Kaiba.

"It never ceases to amaze me, how much you like losing," Kaiba said, the corner of his mouth twitched up into a half smile.

"I won't lose tis time Kaiba. My deck is a hundred times better than yours," Joey reasoned, frustrated by his rival's overconfident attitude.

"It doesn't matter what cards you have. Your deck is weak. It won't stop you from falling flat on your face like you always do," Kaiba stated matter-of-factly.

"If anyone's gonna be fallin flat on dere face, it'll be you. And I'm gonna make sure you fall hard."

Kaiba snorted, "Face facts Wheeler, you're a third rate duellist, you always have been and you always will be. Nothing will change that."

"Hey rich boy, if I remember rite, I was second runner's up at Duellist Kingdom, I made da semi-finals of Battle City and da second round of KC Grand Prix," Joey shouted at him.

"Hn. Everything you have ever achieved was nothing but a random fluke. You don't have the true skills to be a master duellist, not then and certainly not now." He was never a real duellist; his tiny brain could never comprehend the sheer hard work and commitment it took to becoming the best. It would explain why he never once made it past him or Yugi.

"Dat's not true Kaiba. I'm one of da best duellists out dere and I'm gonna prove it by wiping da floor wit ya. So bring it on, cos ya cruising for a bruising."

"Save it for someone who cares. You're not even in the same league as me, and I no longer waste my time duelling amateurs who are unworthy of my skill."

"I ain't leavin until we finish tis Kaiba," Joey said tightly, anger colouring his features.

"An amateur like you can't even come close to beating me. And you want to know why Wheeler? Because you don't possess the intelligence, skills or the cards necessary to take someone like me on. It explains why it never takes my best to defeat a weakling like you. But that's what you get from trash that's rolled out from the street gutters. Your type doesn't belong here, so I suggest you go back to whatever dumpster you crawled out of and stay there," Kaiba retorted, lips pulled into a vicious grin.

* * *

The rustling of feet and excited voices alerted Téa to the possibility there was something big going on she was not aware of. She blinked, shifting her gaze to see several students passing by her on their way towards the front of the hallway. While the rest of her friends were blissfully chatting away about their holiday experiences, she turned around curiously, noticing a large crowd gathering near the lockers. More students continued to be drawn to it, making her wonder what could attract the attention of the whole student body.

"Um guys," Téa started. "What's going on?" she pointed towards the crowd, only a few feet away.

Yugi Motou was the first to answer her, "I don't know Téa." He tried standing on his toes to get a better look, but his height made that impossible.

"I'll handle this," Tristan Taylor stepped forward and manoeuvred his body. He was the tallest in their group and would have no trouble seeing what this was all about.

"See anything dude," Duke Devlin asked eagerly, eyes also trained in the direction of the increasing crowd.

"It's a showdown . . . between Joey and Kaiba," Tristan announced nonchalantly, not at all surprised by the scene that was taking place.

'_Great. I leave him alone for a few minutes and he's already fighting with Kaiba.' _Rolling her eyes in frustration, she knew that Kaiba wasn't entirely blameless. No doubt he probably instigated the whole thing and Joey being the guy they knew so well, fell hook line and sinker for the bait. This was just one big mess and she knew that one of them had better put an end to it before things got out of hand. "Well, one of us better do something before Joey does something he'll regret," Téa muttered quickly.

Yugi addressed Téa's concerns with a brief nod, "She's right guys. We all know how Joey reacts when Kaiba's around."

"Don't look at me," Duke said, his hands raised in the air. "And even if we did, like Joey's going to listen. The guy is way too stubborn."

"He's right man. Joey never listens. Well, at least not to me and Duke," agreed Tristan, who seemed to be thinking about the situation, his hand rubbing his chin in thought. Hit with a brainwave, he turned towards Téa, "But . . . maybe he'll listen to you."

"That's not a bad idea," Duke nodded at the suggestion. "You'll have better luck getting through to him."

Téa considered this with thoughtful azure eyes, which moved back and forth between her friends and the large crowd. Sighing, she decided they were right. "Fine," she conceded, seeing the logic behind their approach. It was probably better it came from her. Girls were better than guys when it came to defusing tense situations and she had plenty of practice, having broken up several arguments between Joey and Tristan, regarding his sister Serenity. Like the trusted and loyal friend she was, Téa began making her way through the lively crowd, the two voices she knew so well becoming clearer with each step. Briefly turning her head behind her, she saw the others hot on her trail. With a mumbled apology directed at those she pushed aside, she finally reached the front of the crowd, with an ideal view of the scene as it was unfolding. She found herself unconsciously staring at the tall figure that was Seto Kaiba. Scrutinising the businessman carefully, she noticed something different about his appearance. The thin lithe build she was accustomed to had undergone a spectacular transformation. Muscle that could only be described as lean and taut rippled through the fabric of his school shirt. _'He must have worked out during the summer.'_ The slightly muscular exterior suited him immensely, making Joey look like a twig.

For a moment she was distracted by several low-pitched feminine voices, her eyes drifting towards the sound, observing the excited faces of several female students who were clearly enjoying the view of their esteemed classmate. Téa sneered at the thought that almost every girl at school had developed either a crush or an unhealthy obsession over the billionaire. Although she would admit that Kaiba was physically attractive, personally that facade wore thin with her. She wasn't superficial, choosing to see people for who they were on the inside, not on the outside. Seto Kaiba was an enigma, one that few could understand. Many portrayed him as a well respected and educated businessman, with a reputation and character unmarred by a single blemish or flaw. Others saw him as a ruthless individual, corrupted by wealth and power. Nevertheless, from her observations she could see right through him - his disguise. The disguise he wore when he was in the presence of others. The truth was that no one knew the real Seto Kaiba. The only person to possess any intimate knowledge of the youth was his younger brother Mokuba.

Loud voices filled the air, prompting Téa to focus on the situation at hand. Carefully, she edged herself between the two quarrelling boys, intending to stop this confrontation. Peering upwards into the face that was normally characterised by a lopsided grin and shining brown eyes, what she saw worried her. For the face staring straight-ahead looked extremely agitated, more so than what she remembered in previous encounters like this. His brown eyes flashed dangerously, cheeks flaming with anger, lips pulled back into a definite scowl. Not sure what to make of this situation, she tenderly attached her hand to his shoulder, keen to acquire his attention. "Joey, leave it," she said gently. "Don't waste your time with Kaiba. He isn't worth it."

Hearing the soft kind voice that represented the voice of reason in their group, Joey briefly glanced at her, "You didn't hear da things he said bout me Téa. The guy is askin for it. I haffa duel him, it's da only way to teach him a lesson."

Gazing down at her from beneath his chestnut bangs, Kaiba watched Téa as she firmly wedged herself between the two of them. He examined her appearance with interest. The short crop of hair she usually wore had grown into a long shiny mane of chocolate hair, circling her heart shaped face. Sparkling cerulean blue eyes, similar to the colour of many exotic oceans flashed sympathetically at her friend's apparent dilemma. He continued his exploration, noting how her pink jacket clung flatteringly to her body, the flimsy material outlining every perfect curve and contour for all to see. His gaze drifted downwards, examining her long gorgeous legs, well toned and creamy against the short blue skirt that hung freely from her luscious hips. She was a fine female specimen, few could argue with that notion. For now she provided him with a much needed distraction from his argument with Wheeler. '_Females. All they're good for is a little entertainment,'_ he thought suggestively.

Téa swore that Kaiba was checking her out, but the thought was quickly dismissed in favour of preventing this standoff. She had a job to do and by god she was going to do it.

"Oh look, if it isn't the little cheerleader coming to the rescue," Kaiba acknowledged her with his trademark smirk.

"Take a hike Kaiba," Téa retorted, not interested in his trivial comments. Addressing her using the cheerleader welcome was not a surprise, having experienced it several times before. Not that he could come up with anything better. Temporarily forgetting about Kaiba, she focused her attention to Joey, where she slipped her hand to his forearm, turning him so that he faced her. "Joey, listen to me. I know how much you want to get even with Kaiba, but think about this for a second. He'll humiliate you, even worse than before, except this time it'll be in front of the whole school."

"So you don't think I can't beat him?" Joey asked, his voice dripping with obvious hurt.

Téa unconsciously licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. She was torn between honesty and loyalty. A position she hated being put in. The truth, which was flowing at the front of her thoughts, was that despite his best efforts, he would probably lose the duel. Past experiences were evidence of that fact and there was no doubt in her mind that history would more than likely repeat itself. A compassionate sigh escaped her lips, as she framed her answer carefully, "Of course you have what it takes to beat him. I've seen what you're capable of and you can definitely give Kaiba a run for his money. But you don't have to prove anything to him."

"Listen to her Wheeler," Kaiba interjected with a shrug of his shoulders. "Because despite your stupidity, you know what will happen if you go up against me. I'll crush you in front of the whole school and I'll make sure you never live it down. Everyone will know what a third rate amateur you really are."

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Téa said hotly. "So butt out."

Kaiba smirked, chuckling under his breath. He wasn't going to bother with Wheeler, but now that Gardner was here, this was his chance to publicly humiliate two of Yugi's pathetic cronies. Shifting his gaze into the background, he could see the other members of the 'geek squad,' including their leader who stood near the front trying to get a better view, in spite of his small size. He had barely noticed them or the horde of other students' who had gathered to witness this little dispute. A thought rushed through his head, his mouth slipping into a comfortable smile. He would give this audience something to gossip about, after all who was he to disappoint them. "That the best you got Gardner," he scoffed, watching her pause for a moment, before glaring boldly at him.

"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer," she refused to stoop down to his level. She was considered the level headed one in the group and falling for his ploys was not her style.

Blazing brown eyes watched this exchange of words troublingly, facial features twisted into a serious expression. As far as he was concerned this was between them, not Téa. "Leave her alone Kaiba, she's got nuttin to do wit this."

This was the perfect opportunity for a little payback and there was no way he would let this go. "Can't the little cheerleader fight her own battle? Or does your 'guard dog' have to protect you? Kaiba grinned vindictively at them.

"I'm not going to play your game Kaiba, so grow up," Téa was becoming frustrated, her hands placed on her hips.

"Shouldn't you be telling that to your dog over there?" Kaiba tipped his head forward, gesturing towards her friend. When she didn't answer straight away, he leaned closer, "The sooner he stops acting like a dog, the sooner he stops looking like one."

Téa was speechless, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, "That was uncalled for."

"I thought you were familiar with the rules of this school. This is a public learning facility for students and I distinctly recall seeing a sign outside that said 'no dogs allowed.' So if I were you, I would get this flea ridden mongrel off school premises immediately," Kaiba advised, allowing his smirk to increase wider.

There was an angered cry, "Say wat?" Joey advanced forward, eyes overflowing with offence, prepared to silence his rival once and for all. Téa looped her arm through Joey's, desperate to restrain him as best as she could. She felt her own anger coming to the surface, when she heard laughter, the sound coming from several girls who quickly covered their mouths when Téa glared at them. That was the last straw for her. She detached her arm from its resting place and stepped forward, blue locking with blue. Kaiba returned her gaze with a malicious smirk, an expression that seemed provocative, as if daring her to give it her best shot. Her blue eyes glowered fiercely, as she rose up to the challenge. "Joey isn't the dog around here; that would be you," she said harshly. She watched as his smirk reduced to a slight frown, eyes narrowed at the term she had chosen. Before he could say a word, she opened her mouth again, "Look at you Kaiba, barking away like some rabid animal. Haven't you ever heard of disturbing the peace? So why don't you take your own advice and get lost. There's a good dog." After the last word slipped off her tongue, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of snickers and small gasps, causing her to smile slightly. Kaiba glared at her, icy blue eyes hardening, as his ears picked up the unpleasant sound that was directed at him.

Dog . . . she had the nerve to call him a dog. What gave her the right to associate him with such an ugly and weak creature? He was a Kaiba; a name that demanded respect and dignity. To demoralise and undermine what he stood for was blasphemy in his book. Without his gaze faltering, he glanced straight ahead at the audience behind her. They were all waiting to see how this would pan out and he never backed down from a worthy challenge. An idea presented itself, an idea so cruel and devious it would make his adoptive father Gozaborro proud of him. Yes, this would surely get one back on her and knock her off her pedestal. "You know what Gardner?" he started innocently, watching as she gazed up at him, curiosity and suspicion itched on her face. "I saw that performance of yours at the Domino Theatre and I must say the way you dressed and moved reminded me of one of those cheap Las Vegas showgirls. You know which ones I'm talking about don't you?" Without waiting for an answer he continued, "I'm talking about the ones who are under the delusion that they actually have dance talent, when all they know how to do is show some skin. Come to think of it . . . that's exactly what you do – flaunting your body around like some cheap slut. It's absolutely pathetic."

Téa bit the inside of her cheek, as she felt her heart thud painfully in her chest. The skin of her cheeks, which were marked by a faint pink glow, had suddenly drained of colour. She sucked in a sharp breath, as his words flowed through her head. "What the hell would you know about dancing? You've probably never danced a day in your life," she yelled back, balling her hands to her sides, as she fought to control herself.

He smirked, "I know talent when I see it. Something you definitely seem to be lacking. As a matter of fact, that's something you and Wheeler over there both have in common. You can't dance and he can't duel."

"Shut ya mouth Kaiba," Joey shouted explosively, coming up behind Téa. She turned her head to find him at her side. Looking up at him, she shook her head firmly, trying to tell him to let her handle this. Planting her feet solidly on the ground, she prevented him from moving in front of her.

Ignoring the comment with a bold grunt, Kaiba loomed over Téa, prepared to finish this once and for all. "No major dance university in the country or even the world would consider accepting a worthless nobody like you. So I suggest you start looking for another career in life Gardner." His eyes grinned evilly at her, ready to deliver the fatal blow. "Since you seem to like entertaining people so much, maybe you should consider the adult industry. After all, with your background, I'm sure you could find a job in a strip club, taking your clothes off to make a living. And with a body like that, I'm sure you'd fit right in," each word was uttered slowly, a deliberate and conceited attempt to upset her.

Gasps and intense chattering erupted within the crowd, faces tainted with horror and shock by the severity of such a demeaning statement. Téa stood there frozen, a flash of red spreading across her pale cheeks as a direct result. Her normally calm frame of mind collapsed to be replaced by an overwhelming sense of fury and shame. Azure eyes blazed with a hidden fire, recalling and processing every syllable, word and sentence that came out of his foul mouth. _'Did he just say what I think he just said?' _The blood within her veins boiled, her slender hands curling into tight fists, the pressure of which was shown by the whitening of her knuckles. She was absolutely mortified and outraged by his audaciousness, realising that any amount of self-restraint she showed earlier flew right out the window. This was now war. "What did you say?" Even before she posed her question, she emotionally prepared herself for the barrage of insults that were sure to follow.

Watching her reaction only fuelled his excessive need for control and satisfaction. The knowledge that he embarrassed her, that he made her look insignificant, fed his ego. His scheme was having the desired effect and he wasn't finished yet. "You heard me. The only job you would ever get is working as a stripper. That's the only thing your body would be good for." He purposely ran his eyes up and down her perfect form in an attempt to get his point across. The expression highlighted on her face, proved that his tactic was indeed working. "Or maybe you should consider prostitution; I hear that's a good job for nobodies like yourself wanting to make a quick buck."

"Téa," Joey murmured softly, a lump forming in his chest. His head moved to the side, brown eyes staring into her startled blue ones, recognising something within her features - a familiar spark that meant one thing. She was going to teach him a lesson.

An unusual feeling instantly washed over her; her very being corrupted by intense anger and vengeance. She had snapped. Although she was considered to be a rational human being, this was not a rational situation. Instead of tears streaming down her cheeks or whimpers of hurt materialising from her throat, there was a solid look of defiance and honour plastered on her face. She looked him directly in the eyes, where she responded heatedly, "How dare you! You think because you're rich that gives you the right to insult people, you consider to be lower than you. Let me tell you something Kaiba. I may not have the benefits or the money you have, but that doesn't make me a worthless nobody. And I will not stand here and let you undermine everything I've worked for, by telling me that I have no talent and that all I'm good for is male entertainment." She was now directly in his face, determined to show him that she would not back down.

"Hmph. It's about time someone set you straight on a few things. Because in spite of what you believe, you are a worthless nobody, who instead of becoming a world class dancer, will end up stripping in some dirty club just to feed yourself," he let his mouth curve into a victorious smirk, confident that he was winning this battle. From the look within her eyes and facial features, he could see she was struggling to keep it together. And it wouldn't be long before she cracked under the pressure.

She continued to stare into his cold eyes, forcing her face into a mask of contempt, "You should be ashamed of yourself. I actually believed that there was some shred of decency under that cold hard exterior, despite the things people say about you. But they're right. You're nothing but an arrogant, egotistical and cold-hearted bastard. The world would be a better place without people like you in it. Sometimes I wonder how Mokuba puts up with such a sad excuse for a big brother."

Sapphire eyes flashed menacingly at the words that tumbled from her mouth. Though he wasn't pleased to hear such vulgarity, it was the mention of his little brother that was trying his patience. "Listen here, Gardner. I don't give a damn what you, or the rest of those fools think about me. I'm the richest man in this city and that alone gives me the power to do and say whatever I please. But that's something you'll never experience, because from my understanding, strippers don't earn that much compared to people with real jobs," Kaiba said spitefully, lowering his face so that it was inches from hers.

Téa took a deep breath, in an attempt to control her raising anger. She soon realised that no matter how much restraint she was showing, it was a losing battle. "I said it before and I'll say it again. I don't care if you're rich! That's doesn't give you the right to insult people when it suits you. My hopes and dreams may be meaningless to you, but they aren't to me. But someone like you wouldn't know that, because you don't have the aspirations to become anything other than an ignorant self-righteous jerk, who has nothing better to do, than bother those who actually want to do something useful with their lives." Before commonsense could tell her otherwise, her hand flew across the air, colliding with his right cheek, wiping the growing smirk right off his face.

A jolt of pain rushed through the region, the bones that connected his cheekbone to his jaw produced a sharp sound that echoed loudly in his ears. Kaiba staggered backwards slightly from the impact, his left hand uncoiled, where his briefcase crashed to the ground. It took him a few seconds to realise what all this meant. He was completely stunned and blocked out the sounds of surprise and intrigue that floated around him. The only thing he could think about was the stinging pain consuming him. His normally acute and quick instincts would have anticipated such a likely move, but he believed that she would run away with her tail between her legs. Clearly he had underestimated her and was paying the price for his foolishness.

"Don't you ever insult me like that!" Her chest rose and fell with each word, a clear sign that she was still furious with him. Her left hand fell to her side and despite the slight soreness she was experiencing, Téa felt good.

The crowd grew silent, watching their fallen classmate regain his composure, his tall figure standing straight, an unusual glint in his eyes. Kaiba's right hand instinctively moved towards his injured cheek, where his fingers lightly touched a region above his upper lip. A reddish substance adhered to his skin, the metallic smell drifting through his nostrils, registering the end result in his brain. The force of her hand had caused her nails to mark him. Gingerly, he fingered the small cut, feeling the substance trickle downwards, before wiping it away with the back of his hand.

Taking the opportunity to rub some salt into the wound, Joey stepped forward beaming triumphantly, "Kaiba got wasted by a girl." He of course had seen it coming and it pleased him to see Kaiba finally getting his just desserts. "Gee Kaiba that musta hurt," he teased.

Clapping and laughing accompanied the witty remark, indicating that many were delighted to see the CEO brought down to size. The former Duel Monsters champion received a taste of his own medicine and what made this moment priceless was that it was delivered by the hands of a girl.

Ignoring the excessive cheers of jubilation that surrounded him, Kaiba moved towards Téa, his face contorted into a mask of rage and vengeance. No one humiliated him in public and got away with it. He was the richest man in Domino City and somehow she managed to tarnish his reputation by making him look like a complete fool. Glaring down at her slender form, he lowered his face, eyes locking with hers. "This isn't over Gardner. Not by a long shot," he growled ominously.

Téa opened her mouth to respond, when a stern voice interrupted, "Mr Kaiba and Miss Gardner go to the principal's office now."

* * *

Mr John Yamaguchi was in his mid-forties; a man that the students of Domino High regarded as a fair and decent principal. For the past twenty years, he began his career as a maths teacher, before deciding to take the next step to that of a high school principal. Although the job was portrayed as highly stressful, it was the exact opposite for the man. He found his job immensely rewarding, especially witnessing the delighted faces of his students' with regard to their academic, sporting and cultural accolades. Yet there were times when the job wasn't always a bed of roses; that usually involved having to deal with certain situations that required his intervention.

The tall man with balding grey hair and dull brown eyes leaned back in his chair, watching his two pupils with unwavering interest. He knew both of them well, although one of them he wished he had the pleasure of not encountering. Although he wished this incident had not taken place, it was his job as principal to maintain an orderly balance of justice and equality within his school. Both sat before him, waiting patiently for him to declare his verdict on the incident that had brought them to his office.

"You both know that fighting isn't permitted on school grounds," Mr Yamaguchi informed them, his hands interlocking together on surface of his desk.

"Yes sir," both Téa and Kaiba answered simultaneously.

"After hearing both your versions of what happened, as well as speaking to several students who witnessed the incident, I have decided that you are both to have detention for today. The reason for my decision is that you are both excellent students with clean records and I will treat this affair as a one-off-occurrence."

"What?" Kaiba shouted incredulously, his fingers holding a tissue towards his upper lip to absorb the remaining blood. Surely, the pompous old fool wouldn't dare assign him with this form of punishment.

"I think that's a fair punishment, judging from both your behaviour this morning," the principal answered confidently.

"Yes Mr Yamaguchi, Téa readily agreed. She wasn't going to complain, the consequences could have been much worse.

"Mr Yamaguchi, I want to have a word with you in private," Kaiba stated authoritatively.

Sensing that the conversation would move in this direction, Mr Yamaguchi motioned towards Téa, "You're excused Miss Gardner."

Once Téa had left, Kaiba straightened his stance and purposely glared at the principal, "Do you know who I am?"

Seto Kaiba was one of his least favourite students, simply because the young man was known for using his reputation to secure personal favours and that didn't sit well with him. As a principal, he refused to discriminate against students according to social position and firmly believed that every student was to be treated equally. From his perspective, Seto Kaiba wasn't any different and he would not bend the rules to benefit one person - even if they happened to be extremely wealthy. "Yes Mr Kaiba, I am aware of your status. But you two were engaged in a matter that required disciplinary action. Do not think that because of your renowned reputation that this excludes you from being disciplined appropriately."

"She's the one who hit me," Kaiba maintained his defence, gesturing toward the evidence which was branded on his face.

"I am aware of the details and I am not by any means condoning her behaviour. But having said that, I know Miss Gardner well enough to know that she would not resort to physical violence . . . unless of course she was provoked," he looked at the young man, not at all surprised to see a cold, blameless expression supported on his face. "And from what I was told, the comments you made to her explains her recent actions. Therefore this makes you partly responsible for her conduct."

He couldn't believe he was hearing this, his eyes narrowing in obvious disapproval.

"What exactly are you saying?" Kaiba said through gritted teeth.

"It's one day's detention. It won't go on your permanent record. Now if you'd excuse me, I have work to do." The principal believing that this meeting was over, reached for some papers on his desk and begin his task of sorting and filing them into the correct order.

Kaiba rose to his feet, leaving the room in outrage. "Stupid old fool," he muttered angrily. He walked down the hallway towards the infirmary, intending to get some medical relief for his wounds. His right hand held his briefcase tightly, while the other was clenched firmly at his left side, the sound of his footsteps piercing the silence. He vowed that Yamaguchi would pay severely for this injustice. For it wasn't in the man's best interests to have him as an enemy. Many people could attest to that statement. He smiled viciously at the ideas that were conjured within his mind, allowing him some form of gratification. He was going to have fun making the man's life a misery.

* * *

The rest of the morning was fairly active, as Téa encountered several of her classmates who offered their praise for delivering some justice to the little people. Although a part of her felt slightly pleased by their comments and support, it did little to ease the burden of uneasiness that found its way into the pit of her stomach. That feeling had remained with her throughout the morning and still hadn't subsided. She supposed it was due to the fact that the incident had also attracted the attention of the female kind, specifically several infatuated fan girls who acknowledged her with nasty stares and spiteful comments. She ignored them of course, like someone in her position would, but she knew that much of the student body wouldn't forget this episode in a hurry. No doubt it would remain the topic of several conversations for weeks to come.

She was glad that it was finally lunchtime, her feet mechanically walking outside to be greeted by the rays of sunshine which warmed her back. Training her eyes in front of her, she continued towards the usual spot where she and her friends gathered. Face after face shot her glances, some kind, others vicious, as she made her way pass them. She breathed a sign of relief when she spotted her friends seated at their usual bench, already indulging themselves in the prepared food that had been purchased at the canteen.

"How did it go Téa?" Joey asked, as he moved to make space for her. Neither of them had seen her since she and Kaiba left for the principal's office, seeing as their morning classes differed from each other. Although patience was definitely not one of his virtues, he waited with the others till lunch, to bombard her with questions and offer their support. In truth, they were all proud of her for taking the initiative and standing up to Kaiba. And from the positive comments they had received on her behalf, he knew that a fair portion of the student body felt the exact same way.

Taking the seat that had been offered to her, Téa replied stiffly, "I got detention and so did Kaiba." She pulled her bag onto the bench surface, unzipping one of the flaps to remove her lunch. Unwrapping her chicken and salad sandwich, she bit into the soft bread, not realising how hungry she was until her stomach growled in appreciation.

Barely masking the frustration that saturated his mind, Joey said gruffly, "Dat just ain't rite. He's da one who started it. Yamaguchi should have given Kaiba detention not you."

Duke, who sat beside Tristan on the other side of the bench, inclined forward, "Well she did hit him." He watched as all eyes trained on him, causing him to add quickly, "I mean not that he didn't deserve it. But Yamaguchi isn't going to just let that slide, even if Kaiba was the one who started it."

Téa understood where Duke was coming from, "That's exactly what Yamaguchi said. And when you think about it, he could have sided with Kaiba, by saying that it was all my fault. But he didn't. I'm just grateful that I didn't get suspended or even expelled."

"Yeah, that would be a real drag," Tristan scratched his brow, stretching one of his legs on the seat.

Téa quickly finished her sandwich, before placing the rest of her unfinished lunch in her backpack. "It's a fair punishment and it's only a couple of hours after school. No biggie."

Feeling a rush of guilt overwhelm him, Joey said apologetically with his head hung low, "I'm sorry Téa. Tis is all my fault." He forced himself to look her in the eyes, "I should have listened to you when ya tried to get me to leave. Instead I let dat jerk get to me like he always does. I even tried to explain dat to Yamaguchi, but he only seemed interested in wat happened between you and Kaiba."

She blinked at him in surprise; before a small smile graced her lips, "Don't worry about it, Joey. I appreciate the gesture though." She reached for his shoulder and squeezed it appreciatively.

Joey shot her another look, as if he was debating with himself whether or not to speak his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. "Look, ah Téa," he started slowly. "I'm also sorry bout wat Kaiba said about ya. . . . you know bout your dancin. He was way outta line dere."

She nodded briefly. It was nice of him to make her feel better. But truthfully she didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to put this day behind her and move on.

"He had no right to say those things," Yugi responded, still shocked by what Kaiba had said to her. "You're a talented dancer and I know you'll make it professionally one day." He had known Téa since they were young children and he was extremely protective of her, even though she could handle herself accordingly. Protectiveness and devotion were a far cry from the love and admiration he held for her in those years, something that would not change in the years to come, he knew.

"Yugi's right Téa. Don't take any notice of Kaiba. The only reason he said those things was to get back at you for insulting him," Tristan felt like pulverising the bastard, his hand crushing the potato chips into crumbs.

She hated him. No other word could describe what she was feeling inside. What had she ever done to him to deserve such a horrible verbal onslaught? What made him qualified to judge her? These were questions she wanted desperately to bombard him with. Yet even now she was bit apprehensive about the idea of confronting him, after this morning's festivities. In case she got herself into more trouble. "Thanks guys," she murmured sincerely, grateful for their support.

Joey was lost in thought, his face scrunched up tightly with one question on his mind. "Hey Téa, you never said dat Kaiba was at ya dance thingy ma bob?" Her dance recital had taken place several weeks earlier, but Yugi was the only one who attended the event, since they were all out of the city at the time. He spent most of his summer with his sister and mother, Duke was off promoting one of his Dungeon Dice Monster games and Tristan went camping with his family.

Yugi answered first, "I don't remember seeing him there. My seat was near the front of the stage, so if he was in the audience, he must have been in the middle or the back rows."

"Me neither. When I was onstage dancing, the only face I recognised was yours." Téa had no idea how he knew about it. "I don't remember seeing him afterwards either."

Tristan raised an eyebrow, "He could have been making the whole thing up."

Joey considered it, but then shook his blond head, "Nah, you could tell from da way he said it, dat he wasn't lyin about being dere.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Téa decided, placing her hands on the table and stretching out.

Duke suddenly moved his head around as if he was looking for something, before he settled back in his seat whispering quietly, "Did you guys see the way Kaiba was looking at Téa?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it, he looked pissed," Tristan agreed.

Joey arched closer to his friends, with a serious and concerned expression directed at Téa," I think you should be careful Téa."

"What can Kaiba do to me?" She wasn't afraid of him and after the humiliation he'd received this morning, she doubted he'd have the guts to insult her again any time soon.

Joey answered her with his lips in a solid grim line, "I don know, but I don trust moneybags as far enough as I can throw him. He'll do somethin, I just know it."

"I'm not afraid of him. Besides Yugi's beaten him several times at Duel Monsters and he hasn't done anything to him," Téa said candidly. It was true. And although Kaiba was angry with the outcome, he appeared to have eventually accepted defeat. He even went as far as to help Yugi fight the villains who threatened to destroy the world.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to. Kaiba would like nuttin more than to get back at Yugi for takin away his title as the number one duellist in the world. But ya missin da point," Joey insisted.

'What point?" Téa didn't know what he was talking about.

Tristan decided to clarify Joey's earlier statement, "I think what Joey is trying to say is that you played him big time."

"So?" Téa didn't see what the big deal was.

"It's about pride. That sort of thing means a lot to a guy and you managed to take that away from Kaiba," Duke responded causally.

Joey took a bite of his sandwich, swallowing the delicious morsel before speaking, "In other words, being played by a girl is worse than being played by a guy. Dat's somethin Kaiba ain't gonna forget."

"So you guys are telling me that Kaiba has it in for me."

"Dat bout sums it up."

She supposed they were right. He did explicitly state that things weren't over between them. And she knew from the look he gave her, he meant it. God, this entire thing was one big mess. "I should have set an example and ignored him by walking away. But I didn't, I let his horrible insults get to me," she told them shaking her head.

"Hey, don blame yourself. We all have our off days," Joey said comfortingly. With his thumb and forefinger held close together, he indicated how close he was to doing the exact same thing. "I was tis close to hittin him myself, after wat he said bout me. And if ya ask me, he got everything he deserved."

Yugi glanced at his watch, seeing that lunch was almost over. Turning towards Téa, he placed his left hand on her arm. "Do you want us to wait for you after school?" Yugi asked kindly.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine," Téa smiled reassuringly at him.

* * *

Sapphire eyes methodically trailed the tall brunette, as she unsuspectingly sat with a group that would forever haunt his existence - the ones he termed the 'geek squad.' His gaze did not once leave her sight, carefully scrutinising her apparent demeanour. A demeanour that was sombre and highly frustrated, compared to the cheery and often spirited individual he knew so well. There was no doubt in his mind that their conversation was focused sorely on him.

Nursing his swollen cheek with delicate precision, his fingers tenderly ran along the searing flesh, where a rugged breath withdrew from his lips. His eyes instantly closed shut, teeth clenching against their confines, wincing from the pain that plagued him. Despite the school nurse who dutifully tended to the wound by skilfully placing an ice pack around the region, the medical intervention did little to reduce the swelling. A symptom that could only be seen as an infection had claimed most of his lower cheek, spreading to the small cut above his upper lip. The damage could have been worse he supposed. He snarled. '_The nerve of that bitch!' _Slapping him like she had the right to do so. Treating him like a commoner, with blatant disrespect. It was something he would not tolerate from anyone, especially from someone like her. Running his tongue along the tiny gash that had since healed, his eyes narrowed consequently at the metallic taste that invaded his mouth. Blood, the source of an individual's life and the evidence of his humiliation, stained not only his face, but his reputation.

Bitterness and rage tore at him, recalling the moment when the force of her hand flew against his cheekbone. The feeling and sound that it produced became embedded within the depths of his mind, as a remainder that this single feat had cost him the respect of the entire student body. He vowed to never forget this day or the person responsible.

And there she was, the source of his abundant hatred and anger.

Téa Gardner.

She was an attractive girl, blessed with a certain beauty and charismatic appearance that captured the attention of those who came into contact with her. After all, it had captured his attention, maybe more so now then it did the first time he laid eyes on her. And yet despite her physical attractiveness, she was without a doubt not the innocent and naive girl she appeared to be. That had been his mistake. There was an unseen intelligence reflected within those eyes, intelligence that often went unnoticed. He had misjudged her; that she was not necessarily the weak and mindless follower he often portrayed her as. No, she was an independent person, clever in her own right, perhaps the only one in that whole group with a brain. Then there was her overwhelming desire to provide reason, as well as inspiration to her friends, like she did with Wheeler - much to his annoyance. That was one of the reasons he referred to her as the 'the friendship cheerleader,' or one of the tag-a-longs within the group. He labelled that characteristic of hers as a serious flaw and often berated Yugi and his other loser friends for relying on each other rather than themselves. In this world, there was only one person you could rely on and that was yourself. A lesson his adoptive father Gozaborro had instilled in him. Yes, she was a girl with a combination of characteristics that were certainly intriguing, if not infuriating.

He continued to observe her, watching the way her mature body enfolded by the layers of her uniform shifted within her seat, where she rested the palms of her hands on the table. There was a defiant twinkle in her eyes, her strong and bold personality reflected by the facial features itched on her face. It soon became obvious that the tall fiery beauty before him was not a girl anymore. No, she was clearly in the stages of becoming a full bodied young woman. Just as he considered himself a man. She was a young woman with a continuous habit of speaking back, with a tendency to be assertive in extreme situations. More importantly, she was a young woman with an attitude; one that undeniably needed to be taught a valuable lesson.

The veins within his forehead throbbed painfully at the knowledge that this woman, neither weak as he was powerful had managed to gain the upper hand against him. He never allowed anyone much less a woman to get the better of him in business or in his personal life. He was always in 'control,' an attribute that defined his very being and of which he considered to be one of the most dangerous he possessed. It served him well. To him control was a means of survival; it symbolised power and inner strength; it also separated the weak from the strong. He enjoyed the feeling of having such a useful ability at his disposal; to be able to influence people with a single glare or several decisive words. No one except him possessed that kind of power and in one moment, one insignificant moment, he lost it . . . to her. Furthermore, it was too someone who was lower than him. It was shameful by his standards. Then there was the humiliation he suffered as a result of her actions, recalling the delighted faces of his classmates at his predicament. He growled in utter frustration. In that moment, something else had been taken from him, something that meant more to him than just his ability to control situations and people. One of the most sacred possessions that a man like him depended on. His 'pride.'

Her behaviour resulted in the loss of his 'pride,' an asset he would strive to reclaim at any cost. Looking at her now, he wondered how he could possibly get back at her. Of course being the genius he was, he came up with several ideas, but all of them lacked the fundamental element he was looking for. He wanted to bring her down to her knees; he wanted to break her; to destroy her spirit. No, there had to be some other way.

High-pitched voices interrupted his train of thought, his eyes briefly shifting from the object of his loathing to a group of girls he was barely familiar with. He snorted silently, watching their vain attempts to attract his attention. The fan girls or if he put it properly his fan girls. Dim-witted teenagers whose main goal in life was to successfully gain his undivided attention, through mindless tactics such as wearing make-up, fixing their hair or by throwing themselves at him. It was absolutely pitiful how they lusted after him; as if he would give them the time of day. They were a bunch of nobodies; they were nothing but weaklings, all of them. It was pathetic how they idolised him, stalking and following him around during school. They were under the belief that they knew him, basing their knowledge on countless magazine articles and news reports that featured him. That Seto Kaiba was a myth, an attempt to make people believe what he wanted them to believe. They were in love with a person who did not exist.

A thought hit him.

Love.

An age-old concept; but a concept that could none the less be the unravelling of his current enemy. He sneered at the idea, an emotion and a feeling that meant nothing to him. Well, perhaps that was not an entirely accurate assertion, for there was one person he did love - his brother Mokuba. Yet that type of love was non-transferable, that type of love existed only between them. Loving another person other than his little brother was something he did not need in his life, because that type of love was nothing more than a weakness. A mere tool that could be used to break down the strongest of defences; to lure those unwillingly into submission and more importantly it was the key to controlling a person's body, mind and soul. In his opinion, love was a ridiculous concept, because it exposed the weaknesses within a person's spirit. Love . . . who needed it. He certainly didn't.

Then again, he found himself putting more effort into the thought, realising something that had previously eluded him. The most fragile element of a woman was her heart. It was a vital organ not only responsible for maintaining life, but for providing an intangible container to store all the emotions (even love) that an individual possessed. The heart represented emotional stability, something that could be easily broken with several well-placed words and actions. And once a woman's heart was broken, it stayed broken - depending on how severe the damage was. Through this understanding, he realised that women were pawns that could easily be manipulated and controlled by the one thing they all craved and desired - the mere offering of love. Any man could lure any woman with false promises of the latter, by twisting and manipulating the truth behind their intentions. He knew for a fact that several of his business associates did the exact same thing, using a woman's greatest strength and desire (the ability to love and the need to be loved in return) against her, till nothing but a hollow shell remained. If used appropriately, love was a dangerous weapon with unforeseen consequences.

This realisation led to the sudden torrent of memories and images becoming unleashed in his consciousness. Specifically, the times she spoke his name out of concern, when she became entangled in his affairs or when she knowingly yelled at him for some unpleasant act he had committed against her friends or out of desperation. Perhaps what had always remained implanted in his mind were those bright azure orbs glittering up at him with worry, with hope, with kindness. Feelings that otherwise lay dormant within him; feelings he refused to acknowledge let alone reciprocate for the benefit of others, except Mokuba. That proved beyond a doubt that she was a passionate person, dutiful and devoted to those losers she called friends. She was driven by her intense emotions, driven by her desire to fight for what she believed in, but most of all driven by her need to help those she cared about. Those qualities defined her personality and showed that she was in essence bound by them, making her a truly emotional young woman. In that very moment he had stumbled upon the perfect way of putting the 'little bitch' in her place. As a passionate and compassionate individual, she wasn't immune to the power of love, to what it could offer and to the feelings and pleasures attached to it. That also meant she wouldn't be immune to the pain and heartache that followed either.

But there was one problem. Téa Gardner was an exception to his common belief that women were weak-minded simpletons. Seducing her would not be a simple task, for she was strong, insubordinate and most of all untamed. Thinking about their past interactions together, what he had seen thus far was proof of that claim. The fiery brunette was strong willed and did as she pleased. Manipulating her would be difficult, but certainly not impossible. She was a challenge and one thing about Seto Kaiba was that he never backed away from a challenge.

Love wasn't real; it was merely an illusion - a game that existed between two people of the opposite sex. He considered himself the master of games and a little thing like love would not be any different. He would calculatingly toy with her emotions, thereby ripping her heart strings in the process. His plan to seduce her would strip her of her virtue, of her dignity and certainly of her self-esteem. His mouth twisted into a deceitful smile at his full-fledged plan, his eyes moving back to his intended victim. By the time he was finished with her (and he would take his time making this deliberately slow and torturous), there would be nothing left but an empty shell of her former self.

* * *

'_Good going Téa, you got detention and it had to be on the first day of school.' _Walking briskly towards the room she was allocated to, Téa's mind was barely focused on little else other than surviving two agonising hours stuck in detention with Kaiba. _'This was all his fault.' _"Stupid Kaiba," she grumbled to no one in particular. It was her duty to defend her friends from conceited jerks like him, especially when his comments were unwarranted. Then he started hurdling insults at her; insults that seriously made her question her own life's ambition. _'Is that what will happen to me if I don't make it as a dancer? _She would never consider or resort to that line of work, even if her ambition to become a professional dancer failed to take flight.

Yet for him to insinuate that instead of dancing she should . . . do that was simply beyond her. Shaking her head, she mentally told herself not to let his words distract her from what was important. Dancing may not be the most impressive career the world had to offer, but it was an aspiration that had captured her interest since she had been a small child. She had no intention of discarding her dreams because one person regarded them as worthless. No dream was worthless if it was worth fighting for.

Entering the assigned room, she glanced around to see Kaiba already there, sitting at the back of the class with his head buried in a book. Their history teacher, Mr Miyazaki sat at his desk, a newspaper spread out across the table surface. Acknowledging her with a simple nod, he motioned for her to take a seat. "I'm correct in assuming that you both have work you can catch up on."

Téa nodded. She assumed Kaiba did too.

"Good."

For the next hour, they sat in silence, Téa obediently finishing most of her homework. Although the urge to quickly turn her head in his direction did occasionally cross her mind, she hastily abandoned any such thoughts. But that did not mean he wasn't watching her. She sensed it the moment she entered the room and she got the feeling he was still watching her now.

"I have an errand to run, so I'll be back in twenty minutes. I trust you two will be well behaved while I'm gone." With that, he left the room, leaving the two students alone with each other.

'_Just ignore him,'_ Téa told herself.Searching through the books she brought with her, she realised that her history textbook was missing. She must have left it in her locker. Ordinary she had no trouble with the idea of retrieving it, but with Kaiba present, there was no way she could take that risk, for fear of him reporting her. He could lie to their teacher or even worse the principal, explaining that she tried to skip detention; and she was in enough trouble as it was. Thinking about it, she soon realised that this was their history class and their teacher always kept extra textbooks on one of the bookcases adjacent to her.

'_Okay Téa, just grab the book and sit back down. It's that easy.' _Pushing herself to her feet, she walked quickly towards the bookcase, careful to keep her gaze firmly on the ground as she neared the large object. Skimming through the abundant row of books that graced its shelves, the tips of her fingers traced across the spine of each one, till she found the one she was searching for. Once the book she required was located, she pulled it towards her, the thick paper bound item sliding into her hand. With that job completed, she began walking back to her desk. Turning the item in her hands, she paused when she discovered it was the wrong edition, this one being older rather than the latest. Completely engrossed in her task, she failed to notice a dark shadow looming over her. There wasn't sufficient time to react, her body was shoved hard; the history book that occupied her hands tumbled to the floor. Her first thought was to kneel down to retrieve the item, but before her legs could shift into place, both her arms were wretched to her sides, wrists pulled tightly behind her in a painful death grip. She swivelled her head around in desperation, a distinct flash of blue was all that was seen, before more pressure was applied restricting her from further movement. Téa panicked, realising the seriousness of her dilemma, that she was alone . . . alone with him. That declaration made her edgy, wondering what he would possibly do to her. Her mind was swimming with several ideas, before rationality made her see sense. _'Calm down, he can't do anything to you at school.' _This was intimidation, he wanted to frighten her, to scare her senseless, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.

"Get off me Kaiba or I'll scream," she warned, preparing her lungs for the arduous task.

Téa was momentarily relieved when the pressure to her wrists disappeared. Turning around to face her captor, her fingers automatically clasped the fragile pieces of bone, soothing the ache that had penetrated through her skin. The temporary relief was abruptly cut short, when something heavy crushed against her slender frame, pushing her backwards. Her eyes briefly closed as she felt her back land heavily against a solid object. Mildly in a state of complete confusion and awe, her eyes fluttered open again when she felt an unusual coolness floating through her clothing; followed by an intense feeling of despair at her situation. The object behind her was indeed a wall, a barrier that existed to prevent her from any means of escape she may have attempted.

That by far was not the worse of her situation. Angling her face upwards, her eyes widened at the exact position she was in. Instead of her hands restrained to her sides as she expected, this time they were purposefully caught between his chest and hers, the change in position catching her off guard. The position surprised and startled her, the feeling of which was mirrored on her cheeks, a deep shade of crimson blessing the immediate area. Her breath gradually hitched in her throat at the thought of being in such close proximity to him; a position that could only be described as rather compromising. Those long arms and perfectly sculpted hands that were known for their brilliant work in the Duel Monster industry had her successfully pinned, ensuring she could not escape from any devised torture that would surely be inflicted upon her. Impulsively she struggled, hoping by some miracle she could manage to slip out of his grasp. Her back arched off its support, where it thrashed wildly with the sole desire of being free. Within the back of her mind, she knew it would be useless, especially against him. But being the pillar of strength and often portrayed as highly spirited, she refused to give up hope. As suddenly as her attempt for freedom began, it ended, the apparent advantage in weight he had over her finally ceasing her futile fight. It was now impossible for her to move without further being drawn into his sadistic embrace, as the realisation finally dawned upon her. She was now trapped.

"I wouldn't scream if I were you," his voice was cold and rough, barely whispering the chilling words in her ear.

The manner, in which that phrase was relayed, sent shivers down her spine.

"What . . . do you want?" she stammered, tilting her chin upwards, till their eyes met, blue mirroring blue. The rapid pacing of her heart drained out the sound of her breathing, as she struggled to remain calm and collected.

"Did you think I forgot about that little stunt you pulled?" Kaiba moved closer, his breath tickling her skin, in an attempt to drive fear into her heart and soul.

Téa considered this, swallowing the anxiety clouding her voice. "You deserved it after what you said about me," she remarked hotly, her eyebrows arched as she dared him to contradict her.

Bitter laughter swirled from his lips, the sound causing her to flinch. "Don't blame me for telling you the truth," Kaiba scowled, stilling her remaining resistance by pressing harder, the body beneath his succumbing to his control.

"The truth? What would you know about the truth Kaiba?" Téa cried out disbelievingly, absolutely disgusted with the way he was behaving.

"Obviously, more than you do, Gardner." He said her last name with unmistakable venom.

"You are unbelievable and to think I was actually defending you to Joey," it was a characteristic remark considering the circumstances.

"Don't do me any favours," he spat viciously, glaring at her.

Blowing a few strands of hair from her face, Téa took a few deep breaths, "I wasn't. All I was trying to do was tell him that some people have their good points. But it looks like I was wrong."

"Is that so?" Kaiba asked, awaiting her response.

"Sometimes I wonder how it is that you and Mokuba are related. He's such a sweetheart and you . . . you . . ." she found it difficult to say the words.

"And what am I Gardner?" the question was premeditated, harbouring a hidden edge that he knew she would not be able to resist answering.

"You're . . . a horrible excuse for a human being if ever there was one," she replied scornfully, her face angled perpetually in his direction.

Pressure and pain seized her, as the last word rolled from her tongue. Peering downwards, she noticed that his hands had enslaved her arms and were the cause of her suffering. Gasping for air, she shifted uncomfortably in an effort to adjust to his grip. There were few options available to her, so she had little choice but to gaze into those merciless sapphires, which watched her sadistically.

"You don't know anything about me," his voice was cold like steel. "None of you do."

"You're absolutely right and I don't think I want to know," Téa averted her head to the side to escape his watchful eye.

An evil gleam reflected within his eyes, his mouth twisting into another noticeable smirk, indicating that he would walk away from this little battle with some dignity. "Did the truth hurt Gardner?" Kaiba mocked, deciding to drive the nail into the coffin. "That being a striper is all you'll amount to in your pathetic little life." He removed his right hand from her forearm, fingers crawling towards her chin, cupping the sharp bone firmly. He lifted her face into his vicinity, so she could no longer avoid his incessant gaze. "That all you're good for . . . is pleasuring and entertaining men . . . like me."

Upon hearing more of his slander, Téa tried to tear her chin away, but was punished by the tightening of his fingers, close to inflicting the same amount of pain she had on him. "I don't care what you say about me. Your opinions don't mean a thing," she replied adamantly.

"How does it feel to have your hopes and dreams stepped on?" Kaiba questioned, digging in a little deeper. He grinned sadistically at her helplessness, loving and enjoying every moment of her predicament.

Téa was determined to ignore him, "I don't have to listen to this."

"Did you want to cry and go running to the rest of those geeks, hoping they would make it all better?" Kaiba asked with mock sympathy, allowing his fingers to creep towards the soft skin of her left cheek, where they innocently caressed her.

Téa recoiled from his touch. "If I wanted to cry, I wouldn't have hit you. Which by the way I did enjoy," she said smugly, admiring her own handiwork.

"I bet you did," he snarled, baring his teeth at her. "But make no mistake, it won't happen again."

"It wouldn't have happened in the first place, if you'd kept your mouth shut. You have no one to blame but yourself," she argued petulantly.

"It's obvious your parents haven't taught you the importance of respecting those who are more superior to you. Shows a definite lack of good manners for someone your age," he remarked darkly.

Those azure pools glowed unexpectedly, an unrecognisable twinkle flashing across them. He stared into them; becoming swallowed in their depths in an effort to understand what it was that had caused them to change so drastically. He usually had no problem reading the expressions and emotions of the people he encountered; he considered it a useful ability. But this time it was different, for he could not fathom the odd glow. It was indeed a mystery. No sooner did he blink; the mysterious glow vanished to be replaced by her fiery temperament.

"You think because I'm a girl, I'd let you get away with insulting me! Think again. I don't care if you're rich, no one treats me like that and walks away unscathed." This was not the first time she had been directly insulted and she knew from experience it would not be the last.

"Is that a threat?" She had no power over him, no one did. However, her unrelenting fury intrigued him somewhat; that she believed that her ferocity and strength could match his. He had to wonder at that given moment, what she truly was capable of if given the opportunity. Could she really be a force to be reckoned with? This little misdemeanour had certainly surprised him; that the little cheerleader with her outspoken words and passionate personality had the confidence to go up against one of Japan's leading businessmen. But as he said before, what had transpired between them earlier had been a one-off incident. It would not happen again. Then again very few could survive their encounter with Seto Kaiba without experiencing his ruthlessness or his cunning tactics. He snorted aloud. The thought of her matching him was preposterous, making him laugh inwardly.

He was patronising her, perceiving her as some weak female. It infuriated her. If she was so weak, how was it that she managed to make him look like an idiot in front of their peers? "No, that's a promise. I'm not like those airheads who worship the ground you walk on. Téa Gardner bows down to no one, and that includes you."

There was heavy silence in the air. Kaiba was lost in thought regarding her with a strange look in his eyes. He lowered his face so that his lips were purposefully aligned over hers. "You have potential Gardner," he murmured thoughtfully. The way he said it made it sound as if it were a good thing. As suddenly as it began, the look quickly disappeared, his eyes regaining their cold and piercing glare, followed by the dangerous hardening of his voice, "However, no one humiliates me by treating me with disrespect; such ignorance does not go unpunished."

"Maybe if you learned some 'proper manners' Kaiba, I wouldn't resort to such tactics," Téa threw back at him, ignoring the dangerous tone of his voice. She didn't like what he was doing to her, playing with her, toying with her emotions. It made her feel uncomfortable; it made her feel uneasy, but most of all it made her feel vulnerable.

The sound of heavy footsteps thudded outside, the sound intensifying as it drew closer. This meant only one thing. Their teacher was returning. Téa glanced up at Kaiba to see the same recognition covering his facial features. Dropping his hands to his sides, he released her from his clutches. However, his imposing form still towered above her, like an eagle playing with a little mouse. He reached for her chin again, arching the bone forward, leaving her with some final words. And she was powerless to stop him. "I won't forget this, you can count on it. So watch your back Gardner," he whispered softly.

Still glued to the wall, she watched his fleeting form, as he returned back to his seat, reminding her to do the same. Quickly, she sauntered towards the front of the room, in record time to see the classroom door open. Nesting comfortably in her chair, she made it appear as if she was diligently during her homework as any good student would.

Mr Miyazaki stared approvingly at both students; pleased to see they were studying and not engaged in any misconduct. Satisfied they had learnt their lesson, he decided to let them leave early, "I think that's enough for today. You are both free to leave now."

Téa shot him a grateful smile, picking up her books and pens, stuffing the items into her backpack. Without glancing behind her, she rose from her chair and left, with the intention of going home to take a long hot soak in her bathtub. After the day she had, she knew she deserved such lavish treatment.

The same cold blue eyes that stalked her this morning continued to watch her, up until her flustered figure disappeared through the door. He knew she was worried, possibly scared, although he highly doubted the latter. But that was part of his plan. He wanted her to feel powerless, to feel weak - it would make her struggle (and he knew she would fight him) and her defeat much more satisfying. For there was only one thing on his mind and that was revenge. '_Mark my words Gardner. You will rue the day you crossed Seto Kaiba. So let this game begin.'_

* * *

Some of you may be thinking that I've been a bit harsh towards Joey and Téa. Trust me when I say that it killed me to be so cruel, but that's Kaiba's personality. He doesn't care whose feelings he hurts, as long as he's the one that in control.

I have started chapter two, but I'm only half way there. I should have it finished in two weeks.

I'd love to know what people thought about this first chapter and whether or not it fulfilled expectations. So if you enjoyed it, review and tell me. I appreciate constructive criticism as long as it is not directed at the choice of main character - being Téa (Anzu).


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